Eye-on-Retail Daily Tipsheet Archives

Walmart asks California ‘Wallywood’ fire survivors to move on by Molly Sullivan & Ryan Lillis at Sacramento Bee. “Multiple evacuees interviewed by The Sacramento Bee Tuesday before the Walmart notice was posted said they wanted to stay close to Paradise in the hopes that evacuation orders would soon be lifted…“We’re not leaving because this is the area that we know everything,” said Jim Sampson, from a tent that he is sharing with his friend Brenda Wilson.”Read more

Amazon employees snapped up NYC real estate before headquarters announcement by Josh Barbanel at Wall Street Journal. “While employees aren’t permitted to buy and sell stocks based on nonpublic information, several real estate lawyers said they were aware of no such prohibition for real-estate transactions.”WSJ subs.

Walgreens and Humana are reportedly in talks to take stakes in each other at CNBC.Read more

Kohl’s Cracks the Retail Code by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “The young woman walked into the Kohl’s store in Grafton, Wis., dressed to run errands, in Ugg boots, yoga pants, and a hoodie…Kohl’s CEO, Michelle Gass, who was showing a reporter around the store, interrupted the tour to watch the younger woman intently. “This is the quintessential Kohl’s shopper we want to see in the future,” she said.”Read more

IKEA Group plans to cut 7,500 administrative jobs at Reuters.Read more

Victoria’s Secret’s latest Hail Mary: Bringing back sunglasses and swimsuits by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Victoria’s Secret began selling Ugg merchandise about a month ago…plans to bring back eyewear in the coming months…“At the end of the day someone else’s brand is not going to save Victoria’s Secret,” Instinent analyst Simeon Siegel said.”Read more

Amazon Aims to Put Digital Wallet in Stores at Wall Street Journal. “Amazon is working to persuade brick-and-mortar merchants to accept its Amazon Pay digital wallet, according to people familiar with the matter…To start, the company is looking to work with gas stations, restaurants and other merchants that aren’t direct competitors.”WSJ subs.

Walmart begins testing same-day grocery delivery in one of its stores in China by Sarah Perez & Rita Liao at TechCrunch. “The feature allows Walmart’s WeChat customers to place orders on mobile and then receive delivery in as little as one hour. Nearly 8,000 SKUs are available on the service.”Read more

Canada Post warns of delivery delays during holiday season and into January at Toronto Star. “Is this going to lead people to do their shopping in bricks and mortar stores rather than online? Sure,” said Karl Littler, vice-president of public affairs for the Retail Council of Canada.”Tiered subs.

…Ottawa prepared to order end to postal strike in coming days at Montreal Gazette. “The federal government is prepared to order an end to rotating strikes by Canada Post employees if a collective agreement isn’t soon reached, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu said Tuesday.”Read more

Amazon reportedly among bidders for 22 regional sports networks being sold by Disney at USA Today.Read more

Rep. Bobby Rush says Target ‘wants the Christmas money from the very community it’s turning it’s back on’ by Lisa Donovan at Chicago Tribune. “Rush has organized a Black Friday protest and boycott at Target’s 85th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue store, hoping to hit the retailer in the wallet. He said he’s puzzled about the claim the store isn’t doing well.”Tiered subs.

U.S. states count on extra online sales tax to boost budget at Reuters. “But tax analysts, attorneys and policymakers say these new laws might not give states what they are banking on. States are devising different plans with varying legal and procedural elements – some being rushed out before they are ready – leaving them open to lawsuits from retailers and others.”Read more

Former Amazon employee launches startup to prepare candidates for tech giant’s grueling interview process by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Amazon hopefuls looking to prep for an interview can spend $200, for a 2 1/2-hour “essential course”; $700 for an 8-hour “complete workshop”; or the top tier of $4,500 for several hours where Dimitrov acts as Bar Raiser in a simulated Amazon interview loop, complete with friends who are current Amazon employees.”Read more

Home Depot Holds Fast At Number One in Radio at Radio Ink. “Other familiar names rounded out the top five slots with JC Penney third (36,459), followed by Lowe’s (28,774), and McDonald’s (28,593).”Read more